Appointed administrators to W R Refrigeration have sold “a number” of the company's major contracts to maintenence services firm Integral for an undisclosed sum.

PwC joint administrator Eddie Williams said the contract sale, the terms of which will remain confidential, will safeguard the jobs of 255 of W R Refrigeration's 600 employees, including 59 engineers at a base in East Kilbride.

No geographic breakdown has been provided outlining where jobs will be saved, and PwC say some redundancies are “inevitable”.

Williams said: “We have received a number of expressions of interest for parts of the business and I am delighted to have completed a transaction with Integral that will preserve the ongoing employment of 255 employees.

“We would like to thank both the customers and the company’s employees for their support over the last week, both in general and for this transaction.

“Our focus is now to continue to explore all options for the remaining parts of the business.

“However, I am afraid that some redundancies now appear inevitable based on the viability of the company and we will look to support the employees at this difficult time.”

W R Refrigeration installs, repairs and services refrigeration and air conditioning units across the retail, distribution and wholesale sectors throughout the UK.

The company recorded sales of £58 million in the 2012 year to December.

W R Refrigeration said “difficult trading” in recent months had impacted on cashflow.

Its existing lenders had provided additional funding, “in addition to the significant investment already provided”, which was to fund a turnaround strategy.

However, HM Revenue and Customs issued a winding-up petition against the company in September for non-payment.

The owners said the winding-up petition meant the business needed more money that it originally forecast, which its lenders refused to back.

As a result, the directors sought the appointment of administrators last week.